[1][2][3].It is headed by Fred Phelps and located in Topeka, Kansas, United States.^The The score is now… Flying Spaghetti Monster:1 Fred Phelps:0 by l , unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License .

Protest activities

.The organization is known for picketing at public events and funerals, often those related or peripherally related to gay people or soldiers in the military.^I'm assuming that you got nothing out of the funeral other than "those military meanies are spewing jingoistic crap".

The Stupid Shall Be Punished: "The Friend of my Enemy..."16 January 2010 11:50 UTCbubbleheads.blogspot.com [Source type: Original source]

^WBC will picket the funerals of these Godless, fag army American soldiers when their pieces return home.

The Stupid Shall Be Punished: "The Friend of my Enemy..."16 January 2010 11:50 UTCbubbleheads.blogspot.com [Source type: Original source]

^Too bad we didnt have a little justice for all those soldiers funerals he picketed before the goverment passed that law.

.The group carries out daily picketing in Topeka (purportedly six per day with fifteen on Sunday[7]) and travels nationally to picket the funerals of gay victims of murder, gay-bashing or people who have died from complications relating to AIDS; other events related or peripherally related to gay people; Kansas City Chiefsfootball games; and live pop concerts.^Indeed, I garnered some from a religious upbringing, but I also garnered some from other sources, some of which led me to throw out the religious bathwater (I kept the baby, in the form of some rules for daily living).

.As of March 2009 the church claims to have participated in over 41,000 protests in over 650 cities since 1991.[8] One of Westboro's followers estimated that the church spends $250,000 a year on picketing.^January 17, 2009 at 2:43 am This scares me to think that the ones who claim to be honoring GOD talk the way they are.

The pickets have resulted in several lawsuits. In 1995 Phelps Sr.'s eldest grandson, Benjamin Phelps, was convicted of assault and disorderly conduct after spitting into the face of a passerby during a picket.[10] In the 1990s the church won a series of lawsuits against the City of Topeka and Shawnee County for efforts taken to prevent or hinder WBC picketing, and was awarded approximately $200,000 in attorney's fees and costs associated with the litigation. In 2004, Margie Phelps and her son Jacob were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct and failure to obey after disregarding a police officer's order during an attempted protest.[11].In response to pickets at funerals, Kansas passed a law prohibiting picketing at such events.^In fact, we shouldnt have had to pass such a law if he had respect for his fellow man .

.In the autumn of 2007, the father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by the WBC was awarded $5 million in damages.^WBC will picket the funerals of these Godless, fag army American soldiers when their pieces return home.

The Stupid Shall Be Punished: "The Friend of my Enemy..."16 January 2010 11:50 UTCbubbleheads.blogspot.com [Source type: Original source]

[12][13].In June 2007 Shirley Phelps-Roper was arrested in Nebraska and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.^Reply IvanTheMildlyAnnoying says: June 30, 2009 at 10:46 am That’s Shirley Phelps, Loony Par Excellence.

.The arrest resulted from her allowing her eight-year-old son to step on the American flag during the demonstration, which is illegal under Nebraska law.^All missiles fired from Iraq, according to DoD releases during the time (yes, I received them) were short range missiles that were allowed under the charters and sanctions.

The Stupid Shall Be Punished: "The Friend of my Enemy..."16 January 2010 11:50 UTCbubbleheads.blogspot.com [Source type: Original source]

^I suspect my eldest son would have rolled his eyes at such juvenile humor back when he was 10 years old.

The defense contends that the child's actions were protected speech, and that the state law is unconstitutional. The prosecution claims that the demonstration was not intended as political speech, but as an incitement to violence, and that Phelps-Roper's conduct may also constitute child abuse.[14].All the principals of the Phelps Chartered law firm,[15] a firm founded by WBC founder Fred Phelps, are members of WBC. Phelps Chartered handles most of WBC's legal work.^Fred Phelps has no more than 100 suporters, many of whom are family members.

On two occasions, the church accepted offers for radio air time in exchange for canceling an announced protest.[17][18]

Anti-gay picketing

.While being filmed by documentary film-maker Louis Theroux, they picketed a local appliance store because it sold Swedish vacuum cleaners, which transaction the church viewed as supportive of gays because of Swedish prosecution of Åke Green, a pastor critical of homosexuality.^But if he/she did wreck it I don’t think it was because he/she was punishing Minnesotans for supporting gays.

^He told me it is a gay expression meaning, “Don’t criticize me.” The “flame” refers to the fact that sodomites are often referred to as flaming queers because of their vivacious (and effeminate) mannerisms.

.The church has picketed, or threatened to picket, productions of the play The Laramie Project, which was based on the murder of Matthew Shepard, whose funeral they also picketed.^Can you imagine how hateful everyone is to them when they picket these funerals?

.On January 25, 2004, Phelps picketed five churches (three Catholic and two Episcopalian) and the Federal Courthouse for what he said was their part in legitimizing same-sex marriages in Iowa.^My two older sisters are STRONG believers in God, religion, have NEVER smoked, drank, or had sex outside of marriage.

.A community response was to hold counter-protests and a multifaith service in the municipal auditorium.^We are not a counter-protest group, and our missions exist to honor the service and sacrifice of those who have served in the US Armed Forces.

.On January 15, 2006, Westboro members protested a memorial for 2006 Sago Mine disaster victims, claiming that the mining accident was God's revenge against America for its tolerance of homosexuality.^The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., plans to stage protests at funerals of victims of the 35W bridge collapse to state that God made the bridge fall because he hates America, and especially Minnesota, because of its tolerance of homosexuality.

^It’s a pity, but it did make me burst out loud into laughter when I read the line “God made the bridge fall because he hates America, and especially Minnesota, because of its tolerance of homosexuality.” Gold.

[24].Westboro has protested at the funerals of people ranging from Fred Rogers[25] to Coretta Scott King to Jerry Falwell.^Eastern), Shirley Phelps-Roper, the volatile and outspoken daughter of Fred Phelps, has agreed to an interview regarding the protest of Heath Ledger's funeral.

French, 19, was killed on June 5 in Kirkuk, Iraq, where she served as an ammunition specialist with the 116th Brigade Combat Team's 145th Support Battalion. Phelps Sr. was quoted as saying, ."Our attitude toward what's happening with the war is [that] the Lord is punishing this evil nation for abandoning all moral imperatives that are worth a dime."^If the deity’s purpose for us is to know and accept the deity as our (lord and master)/(benevolent creator)/(evil dictator), why would there be any doubt?

In August 2005, a group from the church protested at the funeral of Edward Myers, a soldier from St. Joseph, Missouri, who died in Iraq. .Shirley Phelps-Roper told a television reporter that Myers was "burning in Hell."^Wait just a minute there sparkplug, haven’t you told me and others on more than one occasion that I am going to burn in hell??

On February 2, 2008, the group picketed during the funeral of former LDS ChurchpresidentGordon B. Hinckley in Salt Lake City, Utah, displaying picket signs criticizing him for being a "lying false prophet" and "leading millions of people astray." The organization also criticized Hinckley for being too accepting of gay people, accusing him of having an ambiguous voice about homosexuality rather than taking a firm stand against it.[28].Police had difficulty determining whether the demonstration met the guidelines of protected free speech."^So anytime a soldier dies, whether it be in war or a training event then that soldier died protection the Constitution and therefore your right of free speech.

.On April 10, 2008, Westboro picketed the funerals of three students who were killed in a house fire at the University of Wisconsin–Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin.^December 29, 2008 at 10:21 pm How could anyone ever justify a mother killing her preschool aged child?

.In August 2008, Westboro announced plans to protest in Winnipeg, Canada at the funeral of Tim McLean, who had been murdered on a Greyhound Canada bus.^Sunday, January 27, 2008 Radio: Phelps Will Protest Ledger's Funeral Today on Shakedown Street at 4 p.m.

[31].While a small number of Church members succeeded in crossing the border despite orders to prevent them from entering Canada, they did not appear at the funeral.^They have kids holding signs and screaming hate phrases at other young kids entering a church that allows a lesbian as a member.

.Students from the nearby University at Buffalo and the Buffalo area held a peaceful counter protest, holding up white sheets to shield the victim's family from the Phelpses.^Shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protester or group of protesters.

Westboro picketed the funeral of recording artist Michael Jackson after his unexpected death on June 25, 2009.[34] Members of the Westboro Baptist Church have also recorded a song titled "God Hates the World", an adaptation of Jackson's charity single "We Are the World."[35]

Protests against Jewish institutions

.Whatever righteous cause the Jewish victims of the 1930s–40s Nazi Holocaust had, (probably minuscule, compared to the Jewish Holocausts against Middle Passage Blacks, African Americans and Christians—including the bloody persecution of Westboro Baptist Church by Topeka Jews in the 1990s), has been drowned in sodomite semen.^Learn how » Westboro Baptist Church .

American taxpayers are financing this unholy monument to Jewish mendacity and greed and to filthy fag lust. Homosexuals and Jews dominated Nazi Germany . . . The Jews now wander the earth despised, smitten with moral and spiritual blindness by a divine judicial stroke . . . And God has smitten Jews with a certain unique madness . . . .Jews, thus perverted, out of all proportion to their numbers energize the militant sodomite agenda… Jews are the real Nazis.^If some neo-Nazis had protested my father's funeral because he was a Jew, I would have had some friends beat the crap out of them.

The Stupid Shall Be Punished: "The Friend of my Enemy..."16 January 2010 11:50 UTCbubbleheads.blogspot.com [Source type: Original source]

^When Jesus came, he welcomed all people, Jews and Gentiles, rendering many Jewish laws and customs pointless and out of date.

On May 8, 2009, members of the church protested at three Jewish sites in Washington, D.C., including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) offices, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the city's largest synagogue. Margie Phelps, daughter of Pastor Fred Phelps, led the protest, holding signs stating that “God Hates Israel,” “Jews Killed Jesus,” “America Is Doomed,” “Israel Is Doomed,” and “ADL Jew Bullies.” The protest was apparently part of a series of upcoming protests which the church has planned at Jewish institutions in Omaha, St. Louis, South Florida and Providence. The group reportedly posted a list of the upcoming protests' locations and dates, along with the statement “Jews Killed the Lord Jesus.”[38]

.In an interview, Margie Phelps said that her church was targeting the American Jewish community because church members had “testified” to gentiles for 19 years that “America is doomed” and that “Now it's too late.^And, of course, the thing about the church and the woman, was made because you posted that a woman should not usurp authority over a man, which I believe, and said that she should be silent in the church.

.We're done with them.” Phelps also claimed Jews were "one of the loudest voices" in favor of homosexuality and abortion and that “[Jews] claim to be God's chosen people.^Lots of people believe their god responsible for horrible events, Phelps is just thankful.

Do you think that God is going to wink at that forever?” Phelps concluded by stating, in an apparent reference to the Book of Revelation, that all the nations of the world would soon march on Israel, and that they would be led by President Barack Obama, whom she called the “Antichrist.”[38]

.A group of over 40 counter protesters arrived and one spat in Shirley Phelps-Roper's face.^We are not a counter-protest group, and our missions exist to honor the service and sacrifice of those who have served in the US Armed Forces.

[39].Another counter protest was held across town, which attracted over 150 counterprotesters.^There were about 30 polite but vocal counter protesters but two huge support the military rallies at two separate locations around town.

On May 14, 2008, two days after the deadly 2008 Sichuan earthquake, WBC issued a press release thanking God for the heavy loss of life in China, and praying "for many more earthquakes to kill many more thousands of impudent and ungrateful Chinese Communists".[40]

.In December 2008, as a result of an atheist sign displayed near a nativity scene as part of a Christmas display in the Washington State Capitol, and the controversy which ensued, Westboro Baptist Church requested a display which included the text "Santa Claus will take you to hell," among other incendiary wording.^Learn how » Westboro Baptist Church .

This was in addition to several other groups requesting a wide assortment of other items to be displayed in the state capitol.

.In February 2009, the group traveled to Los Angeles to protest the Academy Awards because one of the films nominated (Milk) was about a gay man.^Right-wing preacher Fred Phelps’ “ anti-gay hate group Westboro Baptist Church ” has traveled the country disrupting military funerals.

Church views

A WBC member and child protesting homosexuality at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma

The Westboro Baptist Church considers membership in most religious groups, such as the Roman Catholic Church or Islam, as akin to devil worship, and states these other churches to be "Satanic frauds preaching Arminian lies."[41] All non-Christian entities, non-Protestant Christian churches, and all Protestant Christian churches that do not strongly condemn homosexuality are said to be sending their members to Hell.

Purpose of protests and church actions

In the BBC documentary The Most Hated Family in America, filmmaker Louis Theroux questioned Shirley Phelps-Roper as to whether she had considered that Westboro's technique of protests were more likely to "put people off the Word of Jesus Christ and the Bible."

.In response, Phelps-Roper said as to the purpose of the protests, "You think our job is to win souls to Christ.^I’m sorry but you are NOT doing as Christ said which is to “love your neighbor as yourself” He didn’t say love your christian neighbor.

.All we do, by getting in their face and putting these signs in front of them and these plain words, is make what's already in their heart come out of their mouth."^You’re like a young child who gets holds of a thesaurus and misuses multiple big words in an effort to make everyone think he’s smart.

.Later in the documentary, Phelps-Roper agrees that the $200,000 the church annually spends to fly to funerals to protest was money spent to spread "God's hate."^The reason these guys protest at funerals has little to do with god – it is the money.

.The group bases its work around the belief expressed by its best known slogan and the address of its primary Web site, God Hates Fags, asserting that every tragedy in the world is linked to homosexuality—specifically society's increasing tolerance and acceptance of the so-called homosexual agenda.^God does not hate "fags" .

.The group maintains that God hates gays above all other kinds of "sinners"[46] and that homosexuality should be a capital crime.^God” is capitalized at this site; to be picky, you should have said something like “God’s approval”.

Views on religions

Catholicism

.Westboro claims that the Roman Catholic Church is a "fag" church and that a third of Catholic priests are active homosexuals, seducing helpless children and women; Westboro Baptist refers to priests as "vampires" and "Draculas" and talks of Catholic priests sucking semen out of children's genitals like vampires suck blood from their victims.^Learn how » Westboro Baptist Church .

The WBC launched a website called Priests Rape Boys in which they criticize the Roman Catholic Church because of the Catholic sex abuse scandal, saying, “Every time any person gives any amount of money to the Catholic Church, that person is paying the salary of pedophile rapists.”[48]

.The WBC describes the Roman Catholic Church as, “the largest, most well-funded and organized pedophile group in the history of man” [49] and goes on to say that, “There are over 1 billion Catholics in the world—that's one out of every six people alive today—and every single one of them will split Hell wide open when they die—period.^There are simple people in the world.

Protestantism

.Though the main purpose of the Priests Rape Boys website is to criticize Catholicism, the WBC also criticizes several mainline Protestant churches on the website, including, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians and Baptists.^The Protestant religions which were essentially heretics to the mother church, today don’t even give their priests a good once over in latin.

."their preachers have shirked their responsibility to tell people the truth about sin, and instead lie to them about what the Lord their God doth require of them.^What’s wrong, can’t take somebody telling the truth about disbarred lawyer turned psychotic pastor Fred Phelps?

.These preachers are not preachers of righteousness, they are teachers having itching ears (2Tim 4:3), and they absolutely count on the abysmal bible illiteracy of their parishioners .^And all having to eventually and inevitably reap what they’ve sown in the way of their hate-filled righteous judgments.

. . or praying to Mary! .She was a human being, who God predestinated to bring forth the Lord Jesus Christ, and to raise him."^You will find the later writings more in step with the teachings of Jesus who certainly takes their understanding of “God” to a new level.

Islam

So what if our guys flushed copies of the Quran down the toilet? We hope they did. .They probably did; We hope they flush more.^Tell who ever graphed your head on that poor womans body that they did a really bad job and could have made it look a little more real.

.Mohammed was a demon-possessed whoremonger and pedophile who contrived a 300-page work of Satanic fiction: The Quran!^She sits around and obsesses over the death of a demon possessed child, who had a harlot for a mother and white trash grand parents.

Like America's own whoremonger and pedophile wangled his own hokey Book of Mormon!

In relation to the war in Iraq a WBC flier implies that God has sided with those attacking American troops:

“

.In His retaliatory rage God is killing Americans with Muslim IEDs: "Saying Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm."^Well, I wouldnt say NO evidence, but my claim was in regard to the Christian Faith.

Hinduism

The WBC maintains a God Hates India website where they state that "80% of India’s population claim to practice Hinduism . . . .A country full of idolatry inevitably results in a nation full of fags and fag-enablers, because that’s what happens when you depart from the Living God!"^God because you are twisted.

.The WBC then admonishes Hindus to convert to Christianity saying: "If you would STOP worshipping false gods, being a fag would not be a complex matter.^You have written two sentence fragments and have failed to capitalized “God” and “Christian”.

.Stop going a whoring after other gods and start serving the Living God in truth!^For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.

Judaism

the only true Jews are Christians. .The rest of the people who claim to be Jews aren't, and they are nothing more than typical, impenitent sinners … the vast majority of Jews support fags.^The vast majority of people of the time thought Jesus was a heretic who deserved to be crucified.

In fact, it is the official policy of Reformed Jews to support same-sex marriage. .Of course, there are Jews who still believe God's law, but most of them have even departed from that.^God’s wrath on those who do not believe.

^It is terribly sad that there are probably thousands of intellectual misfits like yourself who are still mooching off of Mommy and Daddy even during their adult years, but The Almighty has a plan for everyone.

.In 1996, Phelps began a campaign called "Topeka's Baptist Holocaust", whereby he attempted to draw attention to attacks perpetrated against WBC picketers, saying that they were not random but organized attacks orchestrated by Jews and homosexuals.^As far as the WBC, I would say that they dont reflect acurately Christian beliefs.

They whine about the Nazi Holocaust, while they perpetrate the Topeka Holocaust."[57]

.A March 25, 2006 flier regarding a Jewish adversary of Phelps uses the phrase "bloody Jew" four times and the phrase "evil Jew" more than once every twelve sentences.^If you twittering birds werent so busy preparing your hysterical attacks against Christians by trying to equate them to Phelps the Pig, you might have more time to investigate rather than just accepting what TP prints.

[61] However, the Anti-Defamation League has documented racist imagery in its fliers and racial slurs against African-Americans. When the WBC attacked Topeka mayor James McClinton, for example, it portrayed him as a gorilla with a Nazi swastika armband.[62]

.On the subject of neo-Nazis, the KKK, and other violent extremist groups: "We don't believe in physical violence of any kind, and the Scripture doesn't support racism.^January 17, 2009 at 1:32 am I just determined the Anti-Christ made this article… Good thing anti means against, and doesn’t mean they don’t believe..

In November 2008, the church stated on its picket schedules that it would be protesting the Italian Consulate in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania because Italians are "mobster-breeding perverts" and "God REALLY hates Italy." The post also portrays Italians as unintelligent and the validity of their "culture" is mocked as well.[64]

.The Church also runs the website www.GodHatesIreland.com on which it states that Ireland "…have allowed their fags to establish themselves at every level of society, especially in the government"[65] The website goes on to say that: "about 10% of the population of Ireland are fags or dykes, the other 90% are most assuredly their soul-condemning enablers".[66] Much of their criticism has been directed at the left-wing Protestant Senator David Norris, a prominent LGBT rights activist.^It says nothing about there being separation of church and state.

Responses

Laws limiting funeral protests

.In response to the protests conducted by Westboro members at Indiana funerals, a bill was introduced in the Indiana General Assembly that would make it a felony to protest within 500 feet (approximately 150 meters) of a funeral.^I really cant believe that they would protest funerals, thats despicable.

^One final thing I should bring to your attention: Minnesota has a state statute restricting protests of any sort within 500 feet of any funeral, memorial service, procession, or burial, beginning one hour prior to the start and ending one hour after conclusion of these services.

.The bill provides penalties of up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine for those found to be in violation of the law.^Most of the boys grow up sexualized while most girls grow up abused and turned into literal “baby machines” as young as 12 years of age (those that make it to that age).

.Shortly before this bill was signed members of the church had threatened to protest in Kokomo, Indiana, at a funeral service that was being held for a soldier who was killed in Iraq.^They have kids holding signs and screaming hate phrases at other young kids entering a church that allows a lesbian as a member.

.On January 11, 2006 the bill unanimously (11-0) passed a committee vote,[68] and while members of the church had traveled to Kokomo to protest, they were not seen during or after the funeral service.^They have kids holding signs and screaming hate phrases at other young kids entering a church that allows a lesbian as a member.

.On 23 May 2006 the state of Michigan banned any intentional disruption of funerals within 500 feet of the ceremony.^Phelps’ protests at military funerals forced Congress to pass the Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act in 2006, which “ bars protests within 500 feet of a military cemetery from 60 minutes before to 60 minutes after a funeral if those protests involve disruptive noises or other disturbances.” Banned from military funerals, Phelps is excited to be taking his hate agenda to the victims in Minneapolis.

^One final thing I should bring to your attention: Minnesota has a state statute restricting protests of any sort within 500 feet of any funeral, memorial service, procession, or burial, beginning one hour prior to the start and ending one hour after conclusion of these services.

.Violating the statute would be a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine for the first offense and up to four years in prison and a $10,000 fine for a subsequent offense.^I suspect my eldest son would have rolled his eyes at such juvenile humor back when he was 10 years old.

.On 17 May 2006 the state of Illinois enacted Senate Bill 1144, the "Let Them Rest In Peace Act", to shield grieving military families from protests during funerals and memorial services of fallen soldiers.^As our Mission Statement reads, our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family .

A first time violation of the Act is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, which is punishable by one to three years in state prison and a fine of up to $25,000.[70]

.On 29 May 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act (Pub.L. 109-228), prohibiting protests within 300 feet (90 m) of the entrance of any cemetery under control of the National Cemetery Administration from 60 minutes before to 60 minutes after a funeral.^Phelps’ protests at military funerals forced Congress to pass the Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act in 2006, which “ bars protests within 500 feet of a military cemetery from 60 minutes before to 60 minutes after a funeral if those protests involve disruptive noises or other disturbances.” Banned from military funerals, Phelps is excited to be taking his hate agenda to the victims in Minneapolis.

[71] The bill garnered overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress with a 408-3 vote in the House, with 21 not voting, and a unanimous vote in the Senate.[71]

Lawsuit against WBC – funeral pickets ruled protected speech

On March 10, 2006 WBC picketed the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder.[72][73][74].On June 5, 2006 the Snyder family sued[75] Fred Phelps, WBC, and unnamed others for defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.^He sued Fred and WBC and won a million dollar judgement, Albert will never see it because they don't have it.

.On October 31, 2007, WBC, Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, were found liable for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.^Eastern), Shirley Phelps-Roper, the volatile and outspoken daughter of Fred Phelps, has agreed to an interview regarding the protest of Heath Ledger's funeral.

A federal jury awarded Mr. Snyder $2.9 million in compensatory damages, then later added a decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and an additional $2 million for causing emotional distress (A total of $10,900,000). The organization said it would not change its message because of the verdict.[76][77][78]

The lawsuit named Albert Snyder as the plaintiff and Fred W. Phelps, Sr.; Westboro Baptist Church, Inc.; Rebekah Phelps-Davis; and Shirley Phelps-Roper as defendants, alleging that they were responsible for publishing defamatory information about the Snyder family on the Internet, including statements that Albert and his wife had "raised [Matthew] for the devil" and taught him "to defy his Creator, to divorce, and to commit adultery." Other statements denounced them for raising their son Catholic. .Snyder further complained the defendants had intruded upon and staged protests at his son's funeral.^Complain that Maryland does Not have a law against groups protesting at funerals.

.The claims of invasion of privacy and defamation arising from comments posted about Snyder on the Westboro website were dismissed on First Amendment grounds, but the case proceeded to trial on the remaining three counts.^I wrote a post about their website long ago.

."They turned this funeral into a media circus and they wanted to hurt my family.^In my mind, the offer was a great one, but I turned it down because I wanted to be with my family because I felt they needed me.

My son should have been buried with dignity, not with a bunch of clowns outside."[81]

.In his instructions to the jury U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett stated that the First Amendment protection of free speech has limits, including vulgar, offensive and shocking statements, and that the jury must decide "whether the defendant's actions would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, whether they were extreme and outrageous and whether these actions were so offensive and shocking as to not be entitled to First Amendment protection."^It would seem that free speech has no limit.

[82] See also Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, a case where certain personal slurs and obscene utterances by an individual were found unworthy of First Amendment protection, due to the potential for violence resulting from their utterance.

WBC is seeking a mistrial based on alleged prejudicial statements made by the judge and violations of the gag order by the plaintiff's attorney.[83] An appeal is also likely. WBC has said that it is thankful for the verdict.[84]

On February 4, 2008 U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett upheld the ruling but reduced the punitive damages from $8 million to $2.1 million. The total judgment now stands at $5 million. An appeal by WBC is still pending.[85]Liens have been ordered on church buildings and Phelps' law office in an attempt to ensure that the damages are paid.[86]

.On September 24, 2009, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of Westboro Baptist Church.^The Westboro Baptist Church is another matter.

It found their picket near the funeral of Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder is protected speech and did not violate the privacy of the service member's family, reversing a lower court's $5 million award.[87] On 8 March 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in Snyder v. Phelps, (Docket No. 09-751, March 8, 2010).[88]

Other legal responses

.On July 14, 2006 Mundy Township, Michigan billed the WBC for $5,000. The Westboro church had informed township authorities on June 28 that a protest was planned at the Swartz Funeral Home.^So, to all of you jesus fags out there, after you’re done protesting at soldiers funerals you should protest in front of your own houses and churches.

.The bill to the church ensued, according to the local police chief, because the congregation failed to keep a verbal contract for security.^But as a Christian I cannot stand by and watch you damn your children because you are so sinful that you would keep them from a Baptist Church.

.Fred Phelps' daughter claimed that the Holy Ghost had informed them not to fly to Michigan even though they had already purchased airline tickets.^(Ezekiel 9:5-7 NLT) "Suppose a man has a stubborn, rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him.

Security at the Webb funeral was high, fifteen fire trucks were involved as well as numerous police officers from nearby jurisdictions.[89] The township has now stated that it will not pursue the matter.

Banned from entering the UK

.In February 2009, UK news sources[90] discovered that WBC had announced on their website that they intended to picket a youth production of The Laramie Project to be held at Central Studio, Queen Mary's College in Basingstoke, UK on February 20, 2009. This would have been their first ever picket in the UK[91].^I believe that it was the Hells Angels who showed up at Cecil College late last year when a sequel to the Laramie Project was performed that Westboro protested.

On the lead-up to the picket, a number of MPs, lobby groups and LGBT groups appealed to the UK's Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith[92], requesting these individuals be blocked from entering the UK[93], on the basis that WBC would be inciting hatred towards LGBT people. On February 18, 2009, two days before the intended picket date, the Home Office announced that Fred .Phelps and Shirley Phelps-Roper would be specifically excluded from entering the UK for having ‘engaged in unacceptable behaviour by inciting hatred against a number of communities‘, and that ‘other church members could also be flagged and stopped if they tried to enter Britain‘[94][95][96].^Later James, as head of the Jerusalem Church, decided that Gentiles would not have to be circumcised if they obeyed the other laws of Judaism.

We believe that God loves all, irrespective of sexual orientation, and we unreservedly stand against their message of hate toward those communities."[97][98]

Counter protests

LGBT students kissing in front of protesters from Westboro Baptist Church at Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio, USA) in May 2000. The students were among several hundred who turned out to rally against the Westboro protesters.

Counter protests are generally organized to be held at sites that Westboro Baptist pickets. .In some cases counter protesters have lined up and turned their backs on the Westboro Baptist pickets or encircled them in a ring, explaining that they want to symbolically shield the community from the protest.^Evolution has plenty of evidence to back itself up, I suggest you do some basic study in evolutionary biology and come back.

In 1999, Michael Moore organized a humorous counter protest against the church for his television show The Awful Truth. He followed Phelps around the country in the "Sodomobile", a pink bus filled with gay men and women. .At one point, they even got out to meet Fred Phelps and Moore introduced the Sodomobile to him.^(Ezekiel 9:5-7 NLT) "Suppose a man has a stubborn, rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him.

.Two days after the September 11th attacks, a 19-year old man named Jared Dailey stood on the street corner facing the church holding up a plywood sign that said "Not today, Fred."^You don’t seem to understand the concept of infinity, and the argument has nothing to do with “concrete” vs. As I said before, if today were the last day ever, your argument would hold.

^By l ⋅ September 22, 2008 ⋅ Email This Post ⋅ Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment Central Arkansas Pastafarians confront members of Fred Phelps anti-homosexual church in Little Rock, AR on International Talk Like A Pirate Day 2008.

.Within two days, 86 people joined him, waving American flags and anti-hate signs.^The Pastafarians dressed as pirates in honor of International Talk Like A Pirate Day , waved swords and signs bearing slogans such as “God hates shrimp — Leviticus” and “God hates cotton-polyester blends” confronted Phelps’ group.

[101] Since then, "Not today, Fred" has become a commonly used motto for counter protests against Phelps.[citation needed]

On April 10, 2008, a 6-person representation from the Phelps group picketed at the University of Wisconsin–Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin—only 15 minutes into their scheduled 1 hour picket, the group retreated from the campus with a crowd of nearly one thousand students marching behind them shouting "go home, go home." According to the group's primary website, the picket was spurred by a recent house fire that occurred in Menomonie killing 3 students. The deaths were labeled as "fires sent by God" by the group who claimed that parents were to blame for "teaching them to be whores and bastards".[30]

.On February 5, 2009, the students of a Prairie Village, Kansas high school staged a counter-protest[102] with the church using one corner of an intersection and the students the remaining three.^February 19, 2009 at 9:56 pm This Michelle character is obviously unstable; one post is e.

On March 9, 2009, during a protest at the University of Chicago, they were met by more than 100 students waving signs bearing mocking slogans such as "God hates the new Facebook" and "God hates dial-up." Nearby scantily clad fraternity brothers danced to gay anthems.[103]

.On June 15, 2009, the group held a protest at Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington, where they waved placards with slogans such as "Bitch Burger," "You Will Eat Your Babies," "God Is Your Enemy," and "The Jews Killed Jesus"[104].^Then, you deny your children God.

.They were met by hundreds of students who counter-demonstrated with slogans of their own, such as "Don't Hate on Our Youth" and "Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger"[104].^Others have tried to deny the second premise by saying that these calamities are not really evil; they build our character and make us stronger.

^I sincerely hope those you have known who have passed away have better dispositions than you, because I doubt God will let someone with such a mean spirit and hateful attitude share Glory with the rest of us.

.As at other protests, Phelps' group occupied one corner on a street, and the students occupied the opposite corner, separated by police barriers[104].^Other than that, whats the point of protesting against ones opinion.

On January 15, 2010, the group scheduled a protest of Theatre Cedar Rapids' presentation of The Laramie Project in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.[105].Several hundred people showed up to counter-demonstrate, while the group failed to turn out any supporters.^Turns out people just didn’t pray enough.

Students organized a peaceful counter protest of nearly 1500 attendees. [107] Counter-demonstrators danced in the school's main plaza to Israeli folk music and songs by Lady Gaga while picketing and denying members attention. [108]

Violence directed against the WBC

During a picket in Seaford, Delaware on May 21, 2006, a mob broke through police lines and tried to assault WBC members who fled into a police van. Some of the mob then began banging on the van attempting to get inside. Two windows of the van were shattered before the van could get away. Five people face criminal charges.[109][110]

.Early in the morning of August 2, 2008, someone set fire to a garage near the Westboro Baptist Church, causing an estimated $20–30K in damage.^Learn how » Westboro Baptist Church .

Patriot Guard Riders

.The Patriot Guard Riders is a motorcyclist group composed mostly of veterans who attend the funerals of members of the U.S. Armed Forces at the invitation of the deceased’s family.^And here’s an interview with the Patriot Guard Riders: .

^Anyone participating in a protest or counter-protest in violation of that law could be subject to arrest right along with the WBC. This is one of several reasons why we only attend Veteran’s funerals as invited guests of the family.

.Counter-protesting against the group, they suggest, gives them attention and incentive that they do not deserve; and a more effective response against Phelps would be to ignore his congregation completely.^The more we pay attention to them the more they want.

[113][114][115].WBC, through the closely related Phelps Chartered law firm, has collected fees under the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act of 1976 when their protests have been unlawfully disrupted.^All of the gays should join the protest as well, get real close to the Phelps and let em know how they feel too.

[43].Conservative and fundamentalist Christians (including those who oppose homosexuality, such as the late Jerry Falwell), have denounced Phelps' remarks as hateful and un-Christian, and in general oppose Phelps' view that homosexuals cannot repent (the traditional view is that homosexuality is not the "unpardonable sin"; homosexuals may "renounce their ways" as may any other "sinner").^I don’t think it said “love only those who do not sin,”.

^I sincerely hope those you have known who have passed away have better dispositions than you, because I doubt God will let someone with such a mean spirit and hateful attitude share Glory with the rest of us.

Falwell is often credited with referring to Phelps as "a first-class nut". WBC picketed the funeral service of Falwell on May 22, 2007.[117]

Opposition to Westboro's theology

Westboro has been labeled as a cult by the website apologeticsindex.org;[118] as well as by anti-cult figures such as Rick Ross. .Westboro's theology differs considerably from mainstream Christianity by espousing that individuals will be given eternal damnation for any number of sins.^While I don’t doubt that the vast majority of mainstream priests nowadays are more honest then their predecessors, what we know about Christian theology is based on what those predecessors said.

.The members justify their messages, which they acknowledge to be alarming and hurtful, because the messages are intended to turn people from their current paths which will cause them to be sent to hell.^I don’t like internet commentary because I feel like it’s completely impersonal and generally gets people saying hurtful things that they would never say (or at least I hope most aren’t that rude) to someone’s face.

Additional media coverage

The controversy surrounding the WBC has often attracted coverage from several major media organizations.

In 2005, the British TV network British Sky Broadcasting produced an investigative piece using hidden cameras, which included footage of two of Phelps' granddaughters, Libby and Jael.[120].In the testimonial, Libby and Jael explain that they hope and pray that no one outside of Westboro becomes "elect,"[120] because they want everyone else in the world to die horribly and burn in Hell,[120] and that even if they did not believe their actions were dictated by God, they would still do and enjoy them anyway.^Christians believe because they choose to believe.

[120] The interview was not part of the hidden camera segment, and although much of the footage was taken without the knowledge or permission of Westboro, the church maintains a link to the entire report on its website.

.Fred Phelps appeared on Scarborough Country on April 11, 2006 and his microphone was quickly cut after ranting about God's damnation of the U.S. instead of answering a question.^Right-wing preacher Fred Phelps’ “ anti-gay hate group Westboro Baptist Church ” has traveled the country disrupting military funerals.

[121] His daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper appeared on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes show on April 18, 2006 to defend the WBC protests.[122].On the June 10, 2006 edition of The Big Story Weekend, host Julie Banderas exclaimed to Shirley Phelps-Roper, "You are the devil!^Hey June, what has Jesus and the devil told you today?

[123].Another Fox News host, Bill O'Reilly, often has guests on his show, The O'Reilly Factor, and speaks out against the church and its tactics, while steadfastly refusing requests by church members to appear and defend themselves.^I’ve heard that Fred Phelps (the leader) is also an attorney and sues the daylights out of people he provokes into attacking members of the “church” (which I believe is mostly his family).

His tactics provoked the appearance of a video on the church's website proclaiming O'Reilly's inevitable damnation as a result of his "persecution". Shirley Phelps-Roper also appeared with her two daughters on The Tyra Banks Show and on The Jeremy Kyle Show in the UK. As well, Shirley appeared in a live debate on homosexuality against Peter Tatchell, of the gay rights group OutRage!, on Nick Margerrison's Kerrang! Radio show The Night Before. .Tatchell claimed that he had "nothing in common" with Shirley, to which she responded "we're both human beings". The presenter referred to her views as "obvious bigotry", and when told that Fred Phelps' views were "awesome" he responded "no, not at all". Her mic had to be regularly cut to give Tatchell a chance to speak.^I mean, you’re no Fred Phelps, but give it a rest already.

.Satirist Charles Firth of the Australian television program The Chaser's War on Everything appeared with members of Westboro Baptist Church at the picket of a U.S. Marine's funeral, in early 2006. With the camera rolling, he proceeded to ask a male member of the church several questions about his motivations.^Learn how » Westboro Baptist Church .

.Firth then started complimenting the man on his appearance, following him around as he avoided the camera, and stroked his shoulder lamenting how he wished they could be a couple.^As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

[125].Theroux has presented a number of documentaries about unusual or unconventional people and groups in the UK, the US and elsewhere.^Hey, right now, I have the ear of alot of people, and "I'm one of us" let me know what you want to talk about, what you want to say, what we, as Americans, should do.

[126].The website godhatesfags.com was prominently featured in The Jeremy Kyle Show, a talk show aired on the ITV network in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2007. Church members Shirley and her daughters had been invited to express their beliefs live via satellite to the UK. On June 21, 2007, WBC featured in the Channel 4 documentary Keith Allen Will Burn In Hell.^Even the idol-worshippers believe only one other man speaks for God — that grotesque pope — and they will all burn in hell for that belief.

.In the July 2007 issue of Spin magazine, the back-page "Hidden Track" editorial was a satire entitled "Sect's Pistol: Why one hate-filled pastor may be the nastiest punk of all" by Patton Oswalt.^He’s all yours hate filled rightards .

.On January 24, 2008, after the death of actor Heath Ledger, Australian radio station 2Day FM's Kyle and Jackie O verbally clashed with Shirley Phelps-Roper representing the church.^Eastern), Shirley Phelps-Roper, the volatile and outspoken daughter of Fred Phelps, has agreed to an interview regarding the protest of Heath Ledger's funeral.

.A few days later the Daily Telegraph in Sydney published an article criticizing the church for speaking out against Ledger only days after he died.^I have published over and over and over on this board the explanation as to why you have taken the only two Bible verses you know out of context, but I’m not going to bore everyone by repeating that here.

[127].The church responded on February 1, 2008, claiming that they would release the website godhatesaustralia.com and saw nothing wrong with their stance.^We are all sexual beings but they would have us believe it is wrong unless it is between a husband and wife and only to procreate.

.The University of New Haven's official student-run newspaper, the Charger Bulletin, and official radio station 88.7FM WNHU have interviewed Shirley Phelps-Roper, member of the church and lead spokesperson.^I’ve heard that Fred Phelps (the leader) is also an attorney and sues the daylights out of people he provokes into attacking members of the “church” (which I believe is mostly his family).

.Fred Phelps and current, as well as former, members of the WBC are the subject of K. Ryan Jones' 2007 documentary Fall from Grace.^Fred Phelps has no more than 100 suporters, many of whom are family members.

.In August 2008, the church made headlines in Canada for planning to protest the funeral of Tim McLean, who was murdered on a Greyhound bus on July 30[129], as well as a Toronto performance of The Pastor Phelps Project, a play by Alistair Newton which satirizes the church and its protest tactics.^But to finish this, the prohibition against murder comes after the fact with Cain, who is made to leave, and is later elucidated as one of the 7 Laws of Noah - the Covenant of the Flood.

^Tithings being heavily weighed down on people, church leadership exclusion & deceit and constantly feeling like I was below someone because I didnt know the bible as well as the pastors son who had been studying it since he was 3.

[130] The church has been called a "fanatical American church"[131] and a "fringe religious group"[132] in the Canadian press in reference to the "crazy",[133] "hated"[134] church's threat to picket the funeral of Tim McLean.

Westboro Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas. The leader of the church is Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. The church is centred around the belief that homosexuality -- when a man loves a man or a woman loves a woman -- is a sin. The people at Westboro believe that every tragedy on Earth, including the deaths of soldiers killed in war, is part of God's attempts to tell us that he does not approve of homosexuality. They think that a lot of tragedies result from love between a man and a man or love between a woman and a woman, and the tolerance of it. The church protests many events with large, colorful signs, including funerals of people whom they think might approve of gay or lesbian people, businesses where gay or lesbian people work, and even soldiers' funerals.

Most Christian churches, even ones that feel that homosexuality is a sin, disagree with the way Westboro practices, as they feel it goes against Christian teachings. While Westboro Baptist Church thinks that God hates homosexuals and anyone who tolerates them, Christian churches generally agree that God loves everyone.